


Worth The Wait

by Devils_Official



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (see notes for further explanation), Alien Biology, Au in which everyone is happy and nothing hurts, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, MILD pregnancy kink, Male Lacation, Mpreg, Pregnant Sex, Soft Space Husbands, but not as a kink that’s just how babies eat ok, mentioned past infertility issues, non-graphic birth scene, stranded in a blizzard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-07-08 09:24:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15927527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devils_Official/pseuds/Devils_Official
Summary: Lotor has some good news for Sendak.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this because hormones are a bitch.  
> My hormones: What if...we had a baby?  
> Me, metaphorically beating my ovaries back with a broom: No!  
> -  
> Quick Biology explanation: technically, one could refer to Lotor here as intersex, in that he has both sets of reproductive organs. However, no human intersex condition presents with fully functional sets of both organs, so I’m just going to shrug and say Aliens, man.

    Sendak was not sure which angered him more: the fact that Lotor had been pulled away from his mission unexpectedly, or the fact that no one had told him until two months later, after his own mission had ended.

    Lotor surely had a reason for it; he rarely did anything without a reason. He hadn’t forgotten to tell Sendak, he’d been deliberately withholding information -probably because he hadn’t wanted Sendak to worry.

    But what if it was something Sendak should worry about? Was something wrong with Lotor? Was he dying? Was he-?

    Lotor reclined on the overstuffed sofa they kept in the sitting room of their quarters. He looked fine; in fact, he looked better than he had in years.

    He set aside his tablet when Sendak entered the room. “Hello, darling. They told me you were coming back today.”

    Sendak wanted to kiss him -he liked kissing Lotor, and had missed it quite a bit over the last three months -but that would derail the conversation. “What is going on?”

    Lotor looked confused for a second. “Oh,” he said with a small smile. “I...have some news for you, and it's the sort of news I thought should be delivered in person.”

    “Are you dying!?”

    Lotor laughed. “No! No, darling, nothing of the sort. Come here?”

    Sendak could never resist him when he asked in that voice, and he perched gingerly on the other end of the sofa.

    “My father pulled me off the mission…” Lotor began quietly, taking one of Sendak’s hands in both of his, “because he didn’t want to put two princes in danger at once.”

    Two princes? Technically, yes, Sendak was a prince. He never styled himself as such, preferring to continue as Commander Sendak even after his marriage to Lotor. But they had been on missions together and separately for years now, and it had never been a problem before.

    Lotor clearly saw his confusion, so he placed Sendak’s hand very gently on his belly.

    Lotor kept himself in good shape, so it was strange now that his stomach was not quite as flat as it usually was, unless… “You’re…?” Sendak asked breathlessly.

    Lotor nodded, grinning. “Yes. It’s still a bit early, but… Yes. They’re sure. I’m pregnant, my darling.”

    Unshed tears glimmered in Lotor’s eyes. No wonder; they’d been trying for years, since very early in their marriage, and it had been hard. It had almost destroyed their marriage, and finally, several years ago, they had agreed to stop formally trying.

    And now, effortlessly, almost accidentally…

    Sendak dropped to his knees on the floor by Lotor’s side and pulled up his loose shirt. There was just the tiniest swell in his stomach -that would change, undoubtedly -and Sendak leaned down to press a soft kiss to his skin, just below his navel.

    “Are you pleased with me, my darling?” Lotor asked softly, stroking Sendak’s ears.

    “Yes,” Sendak breathed. This close, he could smell the subtle changes in Lotor’s scent; sweeter and burgeoning with new life. “But I have always been pleased with you. I love you, Lotor, and I always will, whether you are able to carry my children or not.”

    Lotor made a short, pleased noise. “Well, let’s start with just the one and see how it goes.”

Sendak nuzzled his stomach, purring softly. This was not the news he had expected, but…

“Pregnancy has many side effects,” Lotor said casually, “and one of them is that I have needed you so badly, my darling. Some days it’s all I can think of, how you fill me up just right, until I’m dripping…”

    Sendak, who hadn’t seen Lotor in three months, did not need to be teased like this. Especially not since Lotor was carrying his child, which was...just incredible. It...affected him, more than he could say.

    Sendak guided Lotor into sitting on the edge of the sofa, with his legs spread. “Is it safe to…?” He hoped it was; remaining abstinent during Lotor’s entire pregnancy sounded torturous.

    “Yes, of course,” Lotor said, amused. “What are you going to do? Get me more pregnant?”

    “I just don’t want to hurt the baby,” Sendak said.

    “It’s not really a baby yet,” Lotor said, leaning down to kiss Sendak. “But it will be. And I understand, I do, but it’s not the baby’s health that should concern you. It’s mine, for I fear if I do not have you soon, I shall die.” There was a mischievous glint in Lotor’s eyes.

    “I missed you, too,” Sendak said drily. He helped Lotor shimmy out of the loose pants he was wearing; he wasn’t wearing anything underneath them. “I really did.”

    Lotor was dripping; he was never this wet outside of his peaks.

    He smelled incredible. So sweet. So...aroused.

    Sendak pulled Lotor’s hips to the edge of the sofa and nosed along the inside of his thighs. (As far as ways to die went, Sendak wouldn’t mind being strangled by Lotor’s thighs. So long and lean and strong…)

    “You don’t need to tease me, darling,” Lotor said, spreading his legs a little further.

    “Let me enjoy this. I want to savor you…” With that, he lapped at the wetness on Lotor’s thighs. He even tasted better now, and Sendak had always thought that Lotor was...delicious.

    Lotor relaxed as Sendak continued lapping at his inner thighs, apparently content to let Sendak do as he would (for now).

    His back arched when Sendak unexpectedly swiped his tongue up the underside of Lotor’s cock; Sendak did it again -he always enjoyed listening to Lotor’s sounds of breathless pleasure -and, just as unexpectedly, Lotor came all over his belly.

    Sendak had to think about infected battlefield injuries to keep from coming, because gods, that was hot.

    “Sorry,” Lotor murmured raggedly. “‘M very...sensitive.”

    “I noticed,” Sendak said.

    Lotor stroked his ears, purring softly, contentedly.

    His purring amplified when Sendak leaned over to lick the cum off Lotor’s belly, gently, stopping frequently to kiss and nuzzle; Sendak could feel the vibrations of his purrs.

    Finally, he looked up at Lotor. “I want to eat you out,” he said.

    Lotor’s eyes widened. “Please,” he whined softly.

    Sendak chuckled as he hooked Lotor’s knees over his shoulders. Lotor could never say no to that offer.

    Lotor half-heartedly glared, but it disappeared as soon as Sendak licked at his -still dripping -entrance. He clutched at Sendak’s fur, pulling almost painfully, but Sendak never minded; he liked making Lotor lose himself completely.

    Lotor was very sensitive right now; he shuddered and gasped when Sendak thrust his tongue inside, simultaneously trying to get away and push closer.

    Sendak remained gentle; Lotor was probably far too sensitive to enjoy a rough tongue-fucking, and anyway, it was satisfying to make him fall apart with these soft licks and sucks, too.

    He still came with a choked-off scream, shaking and panting like he was in the middle of his most intense peak.

    “You’re beautiful,” Sendak told him when he finally pulled away.

    Lotor’s ears flicked back, as they did when he was flustered, but he didn’t react further. He was completely limp and relaxed in the aftermath of his orgasm, and usually he was pretty tense; Sendak had to stop himself from preening too visibly. It took a lot of effort to get Lotor here.

    “I love you,” Sendak continued, rising up a little to nuzzle Lotor’s neck, inhaling his distinct scent. “I love you so much.”

    “I hope so,” Lotor huffed, but he sounded amused, too. “I’m carrying your child.”

    Sendak sat on the sofa and pulled Lotor into his lap. “How far along are you?”

    “About three months. I suppose… you remember that night, just before you left, and I was…”

    “Insatiable?”

    Lotor laughed. “I was going to say ‘affectionate.’ And then we wondered why my peak wasn’t as long as it should have been?”

    At the time, they had written it off as a result of Lotor’s semi-unpredictable cycles.

“Ah.” Sendak rubbed his hand over Lotor’s stomach. It was barely noticeable, even now that he knew what he was looking for. “Makes sense.”

    Lotor placed his hand on top of Sendak’s. “They aren’t sure when the due date is yet, but my mother carried me for eight months, so…”

    “Five more months, then?” He liked the idea of it. A lot.

    “Maybe. They’ll know better when they see how fast he grows.”

    “He?”

    “Just a guess. It’s too early to tell, but… I would like a son. I would like to give you a son.”

    “I’d be happy either way.”

    Lotor rubbed his cheek on Sendak’s shoulder. “I know.” He sighed. “As long as it’s healthy, I'll be happy. The doctor already brought up the possibility that the baby might be too big for my frame, and that I might require surgical intervention…”

    “And you...don’t want that?”

    “No. Not unless it was absolutely necessary. I’ve been reading” -which did not surprise Sendak at all -“and natural birth is more beneficial and carries fewer risks. It’s major surgery, darling. But it might be necessary.” He sighed again. “But I’ll have plenty of time to think about it. What do you think?”

    “It’s up to you, my love. Whatever you want.”

    “I want you with me,” Lotor said. “Through all of it. No matter what happens.”

    “Of course,” Sendak replied, nuzzling the back of Lotor’s neck. Non-bearing Galra usually did stay for the birth of their child. Alteans, he knew, had other traditions, and he would have honored them if Lotor asked, but he was pleased that Lotor wanted him there. “I’ll be by your side the entire time.”

    Lotor made a low, pleased noise. “I love you, Sendak.” He shifted a little in Sendak’s lap, purposefully, like he was trying to make Sendak lose control. (He probably was.) “You’re still hard.”

    “I’ve been away for three months, and you smell delicious.”

    “Do I?” Lotor asked. “All I know is that I have never been more desperate for you in my entire life. You should do something about that.”

    “I would be happy to,” Sendak replied, nipping Lotor’s ear, and Lotor laughed.

* * *

 

    “Based on our current models, the baby should be developed enough to deliver at around seven months,” the obstetrician said, looking at her screens.

    Two more months, then. The obstetrician sounded a little skeptical, but that was likely because she was Altean, and didn’t think a baby should be delivered before week 44, if at all possible.

    Lotor couldn’t actually remember her name -he’d have to ask Sendak later -which was frustrating but not surprising; he’s been especially forgetful lately.

    “Will he be deliverable?” Lotor asked. He had not inherited much of his mother’s shape-shifting ability, and his pelvis was only so big.

    “We’ll know better as we approach the delivery date,” she said, which was not helpful.

    He growled a little without noticing until Sendak squeezed his hand a little. He stopped growling, but he was still irritated. What good was this obstetrician if she couldn’t give him better answers? She was supposed to be one of the best in the sector, and she couldn’t even-?

    “Thank you, Doctor,” Sendak said. “If there’s nothing else, we’ll see you next week.”

    She left with a polite nod.

    “I want a new doctor,” Lotor said, rubbing his belly. The baby moved a little, but it was impossible to feel from the outside. For now.

    “That’s what you said last week, Lotor,” Sendak said, leaning over to nuzzle his neck. He did that every time someone touched Lotor, and Lotor allowed it, tilting his head to one side to grant him better access. “And the week before that, and the week before that…”

    Lotor pouted. “Do you want an incompetent doctor delivering your child?”

    “My love, she came with such good recommendations, and you told me that if you ever said you wanted a new doctor, you didn’t really mean it.”

    Sendak was right; they had this conversation after almost every doctor’s appointment. She was a good doctor; he just got irritated by people-who-weren’t-Sendak touching him, an unfortunate reality of pregnancy and doctors’ visits.

    Lotor climbed into Sendak’s lap. “Stop being right all the time.”

    Sendak laughed and kissed him. “What should I do then? Find a new doctor for you every week?”

    Lotor was aware he was being ridiculous, and he didn’t like it. Couldn’t quite stop himself, though. “Yes.”

    Sendak kissed his forehead. “I love you like this, my love. You’re beautiful…” The word faded into a gentle purr, a deep content sound.

    It pleased Lotor more than it normally did. Of course Sendak found him beautiful; he was carrying his child, was he not? Every aspect of his biology was shifting to accommodate this new life, this tiny ordinary miracle, and that should be beautiful.

    It wasn’t until Sendak started peppering his cheeks with little kisses that he realized he was crying. “Are you alright, my love?” Sendak murmured, rubbing Lotor’s back (it ached all the time now, and only Sendak’s touch seemed to soothe it).

    “We’re having a baby,” Lotor sobbed, burying his face in Sendak’s shoulder.

    “We are,” Sendak agreed. “We are, and I am overjoyed…”

    Lotor cried harder; he was overjoyed too, and it was so overwhelming, this joy he felt. What else could he do?

    One of Sendak’s hands stroked the curve of his belly. Sendak liked touching it, and Lotor liked him touching it. Before too much longer, he wasn’t going to be able to sit in Sendak’s lap like this, but for now, it calmed him a little.

    The baby kicked, hard, and Sendak’s eyes widened. “Did you-?”

    “Oh,” Lotor breathed. He put one hand on his belly, and the baby kicked again. “Oh, you can feel him now, Sendak!” He was still crying, but grinning ear-to-ear, too. “Oh, darli-“ He gasped as the baby kicked him square in the ribs.

    “Are you alright?” Sendak asked, concerned now.

    “I’m fine,” Lotor said. “Better than fine.” He rubbed his cheek against Sendak’s. “I love you, darling, and I am so grateful that I can share this with you…”

    Sendak purred louder, still rubbing Lotor’s belly, and Lotor started purring too. He was just...so incredibly lucky, that this was his life. That he was having a child with his husband, the man he loved. That he was able to have a child at all, and that it was healthy and developing perfectly. He wouldn’t trade anything for this; there was nothing in the entire universe that was worth more. Not to him.

 

* * *

 

    “If he decides to come this week,” Lotor said, “I should be able to deliver him naturally.”

    And, anyway, he was more than ready to deliver this baby. He’d enjoyed the early parts of his pregnancy, but this was a little much. He couldn’t see his feet anymore, he made twenty trips to the bathroom an hour, the nursery needed to be rearranged again, the baby never let him sleep for more than forty minutes at a time, and now the only thing he wanted to eat was the rawest meat possible.

    Which, of course, Sendak wouldn’t let him eat; he would be incredibly ill, and that would only make things far worse. Didn’t mean he didn’t want to.

    “Well, that’s good,” Sendak said. “I know that you wanted as little intervention as possible.”

    “It’s such an ancient thing… Medicalizing the process feels wrong, somehow. Anyway, the pain medication they use makes me manic, and I’d like to be lucid the first time I hold my baby.”

    “My love, if you were manic, I would never let you hold a baby.”

    Lotor glared, but it was difficult to stay mad at Sendak. Especially now, since he’d been so attentive over the last several months, and was currently holding Lotor after a particularly brutal set of false contractions.

    “I’m told,” he said after a few minutes, “that sex can induce labor.”

    Sendak huffed a laugh against his neck. “Are you that anxious to have this baby?”

    “You’re not the one who has a tiny person sitting on their bladder all day, every day,” Lotor pouted. “Besides, are you saying you don’t want to have sex? We’re not going to be able to for several weeks after the baby’s born, at least, so we might as well, now, while we can.”

    “Good point.” He rubbed Lotor’s belly. “You are beautiful like this.”

    “Well, I hope you get your fill now, because I’m having a hysterectomy after this one’s out.”

    “No, you’re not,” Sendak said, amused. “You’re just saying that because we’re so close now, and you don’t like waiting.”

    “I especially don’t like waiting for your cock, so get on with it.”

    The only positions that they could do right now were the ones where Lotor was on top, which worked out very well, because they both liked it when Lotor was in Sendak’s lap, regardless of the context. It was probably how this baby had been conceived in the first place, actually.

    Pregnancy had the effect of making him wet and ready for Sendak one hundred percent of the time. He wasn’t sure why; he was already pregnant. Made no sense. But it was very convenient.

    He sighed in pleasure as Sendak pushed in, so gently and lovingly. Sendak really did like him like this, despite how huge his stomach was, how soft he’d gotten (or, maybe, because of it).

    Pregnancy also made him terribly sensitive, and he was on the verge of coming already, just from this. It would be embarrassing, but honestly, he couldn’t bring himself to be ashamed. Not when it felt so good.

    He had to rely on Sendak to do most of the work, because, well...the baby weighed him down a lot, but it was alright; Sendak certainly didn’t mind.

    Sendak set a slow, satisfying pace, nuzzling behind Lotor’s ears and rubbing his stomach, all the things that made Lotor love him a little more. They also fanned the flames of his arousal.

    When Sendak’s hand reached up to grope Lotor’s chest -he was sensitive everywhere -the sudden burst of pleasure sent him right over the edge.

    “Fuck,” he muttered when he could speak again. Sendak’s cock was still in him, which was good, because he really wanted Sendak to come inside him. “Do that again.”

    Sendak huffed a laugh and complied.

* * *

 

    The pheromones Lotor was producing caused Sendak to be aware and attentive of him at all times.

    Which was probably why he woke up so suddenly and had small panic attack when he realized Lotor was not next to him.

    That happened sometimes; Lotor made frequent trips to the bathroom now, and sometimes the baby wouldn’t let him sleep regardless, so he spent time in the nursery or…

    Sendak knew he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep until he checked on Lotor.

    Fortunately, Lotor was not far away. He was propping himself against the doorframe to the bathroom, one hand gripping the metal and the other pressed firmly against his stomach.

    “Lotor?”

    Lotor opened one eye, then closed it again, leaning his head against the frame.

    His scent said he was in pain, and Sendak climbed out of the bed to soothe him however he needed.

    He supported Lotor against himself, rubbing his back with one hand.

    Finally, Lotor took a few deep breaths and smiled up at him. “It’s starting,” he said.

    “Are you sure?” This would not be the first time false contractions had woken Lotor up.

    “Yes, darling. The monitor says they’ve been happening most of the night, with increasing frequency, strength, and duration.” He waved his wrist under Sendak’s nose; he’d been wearing the little monitor for the last several days, in order to track his condition and automatically alert the doctor when she was needed. “They finally got strong enough to wake me up,” he said a little ruefully.

    “Do you need anything?” Sendak asked.

    “Something to eat, probably. I’ll need to keep my strength up.”

    “I’ll have something sent up right away.”

    Lotor nuzzled Sendak’s shoulder. “We should probably try to get some more sleep. Rest while we can.”

    Sendak kissed him, then hoisted him up. Lotor purred contentedly.

    “Thank you for being here with me. I wouldn’t want to do this alone.”

    “I wouldn’t make you do this by yourself,” Sendak said. “I love you.”

    Lotor purr got louder.

 

Hours passed, with Lotor dozing in between contractions, eating a little here and there, and drinking when Sendak pressed the cup to his lips. The time between contractions was definitely growing shorter, which Sendak hoped was a good sign.

Lotor seemed pleased with how things were progressing, though, and he’d done far more extensive reading than Sendak had.

Lotor was growing restless, though, shifting and squirming. “I can’t get comfortable,” he complained.

Sendak imagined that labor was not really supposed to be comfortable, but he didn’t say that. Lotor was...uncharitable, currently, with good reason. “What do you need?”

Lotor frowned thoughtfully. “I need to...move, I think. It’s supposed to help.”

Sendak helped him sit up, then stood to provide the leverage Lotor needed to stand.

As soon as he was upright, he was clutching at Sendak -his claws dug in, hard, and he definitely drew blood -and Sendak rubbed his back and purred for him.

The latter was supposed to reduce pain and stress during contractions, and Lotor seemed to appreciate it.

“You’re doing so well,” Sendak murmured. “I’m so proud of you.”

Lotor managed a shaky purr in response. Sendak could still smell that he was in pain -not surprising -but it seemed to be easing slightly.

Finally, Lotor straightened up a bit and took a few deep breaths. Then he rubbed his cheek against Sendak’s shoulder. “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to…”

“Don’t worry about that,” Sendak said, kissing the top of his head.

 

It was another two hours before the doctor showed up, and Lotor spent most of the time walking around between contractions, and leaning on or clinging to any remotely upright object -the wall, the bedposts, the doorframe, Sendak -during them.

(There were literal notches in the bedposts now.)

One of the reasons that Lotor had chosen an Altean doctor was that she didn’t give off scent cues like a Galra doctor would, and he’d decided that he didn’t want any sort of posturing happening while he was giving birth.

It made perfect sense, but Sendak still had to stop himself from growling when he let her in. Not that Lotor was any better; he hissed at her.

Sendak rubbed Lotor’s back. Being here with Lotor would help; giving birth was a particularly vulnerable time, and it was Sendak’s job to provide and protect, in order to let Lotor focus on the important part.

“I’m so tired,” Lotor said.

“I know, my love, but it won’t be much longer now. The doctor’s here, which means it will be over soon.”

“I can’t do this anymore.” He was shaking enough that Sendak had to support him with both arms, just in case. “I can’t.”

Sendak kissed his forehead. “Of course you can. You’ve been doing so well.”

“No. Make it stop, Sendak, make it-“ His words cut off in a low cry of pain, another strong contraction hitting him.

During it, the doctor ushered her assistants into the room, apparently think it would be best to do that while Lotor was distracted. (Probably was, to be honest.)

”You can do this,” Sendak said. “I know you can, and then we’ll get to meet our baby.”

Lotor nodded and took several slow, deep breaths.

* * *

 

Lotor expected to hear the baby wail, or cry, or make some sound, but there was only silence.

He tried to look, but Sendak held him steady, his grip too strong and firm no matter how Lotor struggled. And he was weak from giving birth.

“Why isn’t he crying?” He demanded. “I want to see him, give me my baby, let me-“

“Shh,” Sendak soothed, but Lotor didn’t want to be soothed.

“No, I need to see him, let me see him-“

One of the assistants took the baby from the doctor and began rubbing him down vigorously with a clean cloth.

He was so small and so quiet-

He screamed suddenly, and Lotor had never heard a more beautiful sound in his life.

He was crying before he knew it, and Sendak purred for him again, but they were happy tears; the only thing that would make him happier would be holding his baby, his son-

“Congratulations, your highness,” the doctor said, handing him the baby.

He was perfect. He’d stopped screaming, and now blinked up at him, golden eyes unfocused, ears twitching.

“Hello, Little One,” Lotor said, tracing the lines of his face with one incredibly gentle finger. “I’ve waited so long to meet you. I’m so happy you’re here.”

 

It was later, after the room, Lotor, and the baby had all been cleaned up, and Sendak had been patched up.

Lotor was exhausted, but he was happier than he’d ever been, and he couldn’t bring himself to take his eyes off the baby, who was currently sleeping.

“I love you both,” Sendak said. Lotor felt the rumble of his chest against his back, and he knew Sendak was looking over his shoulder at the baby, like he, too, couldn’t bear to look away.

Lotor hummed contentedly.

“I don’t know how you did it,” Sendak continued.

“I almost didn’t,” Lotor said. “But you reminded me that this was my reward. I just...started thinking of every contraction as bringing me that much closer to meeting him. He’s perfect, isn’t he?”

Sendak nuzzled his neck. “He is.” He nipped Lotor’s ear, much gentler than he normally would. “So, when are you going to schedule your hysterectomy?” He teased.

“Oh...maybe after we have three or four more. What do you think, darling?”

“I’ll be with you whatever you decide.” Sendak started purring again, and Lotor was so exhausted and content that he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore.

“Good night, Sendak. Good night, Little One. I love you.”

  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprise addition! This one’s for you, Anna.

Lotor woke to the insistent press of Sendak’s nose behind his ear. His breath tickled and made his ear flick uncontrollably. “Darling?” 

Sendak’s only response was to pull him closer and rub one hand over his belly. 

His  _ flat _ belly, thank you very much, because he had worked hard after Karzil was born. 

“Darling,” he said a little more insistently. He liked Sendak’s attention, but he liked him to be  _ awake _ , at least. 

“Mm?” An endearing, sleepy sort of half-purr. 

“Having pleasant dreams, my darling?”

“I-“ Sendak’s hand paused on Lotor’s stomach. “I had a dream where you were pregnant again.” 

“Ah…” Lotor rolled over so he was facing Sendak. “You were sniffing me.”

Sendak’s ears flicked. “I’m sorry-“

”Shh, no. Don’t be, darling.” He rubbed his cheek against Sendak’s shoulder thoughtfully. “Do you think I might be?”

“It's...possible. But it was just a dream.”

“Would you be happy if I was?”

“Of course. And Karzil asked if he was going to be a big brother soon, so I think he’d be happy with it, too.”

“He’s a sweet boy.” Lotor tried to pull away from Sendak, but Sendak’s grip was firm; Lotor laughed. “Let me up! There’s an easy way for me to check right now.”

Sendak pouted.

“I’ll be right back, darling,” Lotor said, then pressed a kiss to his cheek. 

“Fine.” Sendak could be so adorably grouchy in the morning. 

Lotor stood and stretched, then went into the bathroom. The device he wanted was kept behind the mirror, and fit neatly into one hand. He aligned the sensor over one fingertip and waited while it scanned. 

His wide grin must have given him away when he went back to bed. 

“It wasn’t just a dream, then,” Sendak said. He was still too sleepy to stop himself from purring.

“No, my darling.” Lotor tapped him on the nose. “They should employ you in wilderness search-and-rescue, with a nose like that.”

Sendak made an irritated noise, but they both knew he wasn’t really upset by the comment. 

“It must still be very early on,” Lotor said. “I haven’t had any symptoms.”

“It hasn’t even been a month since our peaks,” Sendak reminded him. 

“Well, it’s good to know early. Gives me more time to prepare. We’ll have to make arrangements for Karzil for a few weeks around the delivery date. We’ll both be busy, and I want to make sure he’s taken care of properly.”

“Your mother seems to like having him around.”

“That’s because he’s a delightful child. But I’ll ask her, when we get closer. He’ll like that. He’s such a curious boy.”

“He gets that from you,” Sendak said, nuzzling Lotor’s neck. 

Lotor purred. He’d enjoyed being pregnant the last time, despite the unpleasant parts, and it was supposed to be easier the second time. 

“Baba! Papa!”

Lotor and Sendak both turned to see their (adorable) almost-five-year-old come running in, as he did almost every morning. 

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Lotor said, scooping Karzil up. 

Karzil started purring immediately. His birthday was in about a month, and he was going to outgrow this at some point, but Lotor hoped it wouldn’t be for years yet. 

He was small for his age, but otherwise he was reaching his developmental milestones with ease.

“Did you sleep well?” Lotor asked. 

“Yes, Baba.”

Lotor smoothed down his unruly crest of fur. “Good.” The white fur never actually stayed put, but Lotor had to try, didn’t he? He hugged Karzil closer to him for a moment, then allowed Sendak to scoop him up. 

Play-fighting was an incredibly important part of any young Galra’s development. It built motor skills, coordination, muscle tone… The list when on.

Plus, it made Lotor’s heart ache in the best way when he watched Sendak play with Karzil. He so was good with him, and always had been, even when Lotor had been anxious and unsure. 

Karzil was on his back, with Sendak’s hand hovering over him, claw-like (although his claws were sheathed, of course), kicking with his feet while simultaneously trying to pull Sendak’s hand in for the “killing bite.” 

It would be good for Karzil to have other children to play with. It would build social skills, and help him get a sense of his strength and boundaries. 

Karzil growled, but the effect was ruined by his unstifled giggles. 

“My fierce little prince,” Lotor cooed. “So fearsome. And you’re getting so big!”

Karzil managed to get his teeth into Sendak’s hand. Not hard, and he probably hadn’t drawn blood, but Sendak yelped in pain anyway. “You’ve defeated me!”

Karzil giggled some more. He really was the cutest child Lotor had ever seen, not that he was biased or anything. 

“Alright, sweetheart, it’s time for breakfast,” Lotor said, picking up Karzil and letting him get a good grip on his pajamas. The nice thing about Galra babies was, after the first few months, they were able to cling onto just about anything, so you didn’t really need to  _ hold _ them.

Lotor still did, sometimes, because he liked holding Karzil, liked keeping him close, and in a few years, he probably wouldn’t want Lotor to do this anymore. But all children had to grow up eventually. 

“Love you, Baba,” Karzil said, bumping his forehead against Lotor’s cheek. 

“I love you, too, sweetheart.”

-

“Our scans have confirmed it,” the doctor said. “It’s rare, but it does happen. You’re having twins. Congratulations, your highness.”

Lotor rubbed his belly. He was barely even showing yet. “I- will both...survive?” 

Alteans rarely had multiple children at once, and it was even rarer among the Galra. In fact, when a Galra pregnancy began with two embryos, the weaker of the two was almost always subsumed by the stronger. 

“We’d expect the second embryo to have disappeared by now,” the doctor said. “That usually happens within the first month of the pregnancy, and sometimes as late as the second. But you’re into your third, and both embryos appear to be healthy and developing normally.”

“I know that there can be...complications. Should I worry, or-?”

The doctor nodded. “There are, sometimes, which is why we’ll be keeping a close eye on you. Also, I’d like to start you on a supplement, which should prevent anemia. This pregnancy will also probably be slightly shorter than your last one, and if the twins are in distress during the delivery, we may have to stage a surgical intervention.”

Lotor nodded. “But I could deliver them naturally?”

“It’s certainly possible. We’ll just have to see how things play out.”

“Thank you, Doctor. If I have any other questions, I’ll let you know.”

She left, and he sat and stared off into space for a few minutes, hand idly rubbing over his stomach. 

_ Twins… _ Two beautiful babies to love and care for, two siblings for Karzil…

Two babies he’d have to deliver one way or another. It was supposed to be easier the second time around, but…

Sendak entered the room, holding a sleepy Karzil, who had evidently just woken up from his nap. 

Lotor took him, and Sendak sat down next to him on the sofa. 

“How did it go?” Sendak asked softly. 

“Good,” Lotor said. “I have news for both of you.” He rubbed Karzil’s back. “It’s time to wake up, sweetheart.”

Karzil blinked up at him, his golden eyes round and huge. “‘M awake, Baba.”

Lotor kissed the tip of his nose. “Good. Karzil, did you tell your papa that you wanted to be a big brother?”

Karzil nodded. 

“Well, you’re going to be a big brother to two babies.”

“Two?” Sendak asked, eyes wide.

Lotor nodded.

Karzil frowned. “When?”

“In a few months.”

“That long?” 

“It’s not such a long time, sweetheart. It’ll go by quickly.” It would for Lotor, at least; he had so much to do. 

“Why can’t I meet them now?” 

“Because they’re not ready yet.”

“Oh.” 

Lotor kissed the top of his head. “Why don’t you show me what you drew before your nap?” He suggested.

Karzil nodded excitedly, then hopped down out of Lotor’s lap and ran to get his drawing. 

“So twins?” Sendak asked.

Lotor leaned against his shoulder. “The doctor said I should end up keeping both of them.”

“You’re going to be huge,” Sendak said.

Lotor elbowed him in the stomach. “What a rude thing to say the person who’s carrying your children!” 

“I like it when you’re heavy with my children,” Sendak murmured.

Lotor flushed but before he could reply, Karzil was back, waving his drawing. “See, Baba!”

“It’s beautiful, sweetheart.”

-

Karzil was upset that he couldn’t fit into Lotor’s lap anymore, but he directed that energy into asking Lotor every single question he could come up with. 

Well, he’d always been a curious boy. Intelligent. 

“Baba, will I be able to play with the babies?”

“Not right away,” Lotor said, setting his tablet down. “They’ll be very small at first.” Not as small as Lotor would like, probably; his pelvis had been sore for six months after Karzil was born. “And very fragile, so we’ll have to be very careful.” 

“Oh.” He colored in another section of his drawing. “Did you have to wait a long time for me, too?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” Lotor wished he could bend down to pick Karzil up; it just wasn’t physically possible. “A very long time, but then I got to meet you, and it made me very happy.”

Karzil purred happily, then came over to where Lotor was sitting, holding his drawing. He was going through an abstract phase right now. “It’s beautiful,” Lotor told him seriously. “Your use of colors is extraordinary and highly nuanced.”

Karzil beamed.

One or the other of the babies started to kick. Lotor took one of Karzil’s hands and laid it over his stomach. “Can you feel that?”

Karzil nodded, his eyes wide with awe.

“That’s going to be your baby brother or sister. You can talk to them if you want.” By this stage, with only about a month to go, they certainly could hear things, and Lotor made a habit of talking to them; it was supposed to be good for them. 

“Hurry up,” Karzil said. “I want to play.”

Lotor laughed and kissed the top of his head. 

-

“I should see about getting a tutor for Karzil,” Lotor said, one night after Karzil was asleep. “He’s getting be to that age, and it’ll be nice to have someone watch him for a few hours every day, especially after the twins are here.”

It wouldn’t be much longer now, and Lotor probably should have thought about it sooner, but pregnancy made him a little absentminded sometimes. 

“Whatever you want, my love,” Sendak said. 

It was impossible to tell if Sendak meant that or not; he was hardwired to cater to Lotor’s every whim right now. He probably did mean it, though. Even when Lotor wasn’t pregnant, he was very considerate. 

The babies kicked. They were rapidly running out of room, and it felt more like pressure than sharp jabs. He ran one hand over his stomach in an attempt to soothe them. 

“I don’t want him to think that we don’t love him anymore,” Lotor said. “That we’re...replacing him.” 

“He doesn’t feel like that,” Sendak said. “He’s excited, and you should be, too. All this worry isn’t good for you or the babies.”

“I am excited,” Lotor protested. “But Karzil isn’t used to having to share us with other children. What if he feels left out?”

“He’ll understand,” Sendak said, nuzzling Lotor’s neck. He also rubbed Lotor’s stomach, and of course the twins calmed down for him. They liked Sendak more, for some reason. “Maybe you should find a tutor who already has a few students about Karzil’s age, so he can make some friends.”

“Mm...good idea. Write that down somewhere for me,” Lotor said. “I won’t remember in the morning.” 

Lotor could feel the curve of Sendak’s smile against his neck. “Of course, my love.” 

-

“I am going to kill you,” Lotor threatened. “As soon as I’m done here, you are dead, alright? How dare you-“ 

A particularly strong contraction robbed him of his ability to speak, but Sendak let him attempt to crush his hand into dust, so that was nice. 

It was hard to breathe through it, hard to concentrate on anything but the pain. Sendak was talking, but he didn’t hear him. 

His voice was soothing, though, despite the fact that Lotor had been threatening to kill him less than a minute ago. 

The contraction ended, and Lotor panted, trying to catch his breath before the next one. They were so close together now that it didn’t seem like he was getting a break at all, and he was wrung out and tired. So incredibly tired. 

“Don’t push,” the doctor said. “I know it’s very hard, but I need you to not push. Can you do that?”

The urge to push was very strong, but he nodded. Sendak kissed his forehead. “Just a little bit longer, alright? You’re doing so well. It won’t be long now.”

“Alright, big push now. Come on, keeping pushing, that’s it, that’s it, once more-“

A baby’s piercing wail filled the room, and Lotor slumped back against Sendak. One down, one to go. 

The baby was placed on his chest. “A daughter, your highness,” the doctor said.

She was still covered in fluids, but so was Lotor, so he didn’t really care. Birth was an incredibly messy process. 

She was smaller than Karzil had been -twins often were smaller at birth -but still beautiful and perfect. She’d stopped crying almost a soon as she was placed on his chest, and now she blinked up at him, her golden eyes reflecting softly in the dim room.

“She’s beautiful,” Sendak said. “So small and perfect.”

“Not that small,” Lotor said with a huff. But she was perfect. He let her grasp onto one of his fingers. Her hand barely fit all the way around, but she was strong.

“Alright,” the doctor said, “I’m going to have one of my assistants clean her up while we deliver the next one.”

Lotor’s mind whirled. He didn’t really want to let go of his beautiful, perfect daughter. If he couldn’t be with her, then Sendak should be. 

But he still had another baby to deliver, and he wanted Sendak at his side. 

“It won’t take long to clean her up, will it?” Sendak asked. 

“Only a few minutes,” the doctor assured.

Sendak nuzzled Lotor’s neck. “How about this: I keep an eye on her, and then we’ll be right back, before you even realize we’re gone?”

Lotor nodded. He could feel another contraction coming, and didn’t think he could muster words right now. 

Sendak kissed his cheek, then gently took the baby.

The next contraction was so much worse without Sendak right there; he screamed, and when an assistant tried to soothe him, he hissed at her. 

“The next baby will be really easy,” the doctor said. “But it might help if you moved around a little.” 

The prospect was daunting; every movement caused excruciating contractions. “I can’t,” he said. He was aware, distantly, that he was crying, but he didn’t really have the capacity to care right now. 

“Shh, yes you can,” Sendak said, coming back over.

“Let me hold her,” Lotor pleaded. “I need to hold her.” 

Sendak handed him his baby, and he nuzzled the top of her head. Her new-baby smell made all the stress and tension vanish. She cooed and gurgled at him, waving her tiny fists. 

“Alright,” he whispered. “Alright.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then handed her back to Sendak. 

  
-

The second baby was easier, and just as perfect as the first. A beautiful, perfect boy. Perhaps a little smaller than his sister.

Lotor couldn’t take his eyes off of them. They were sleeping now, oblivious to everything, but safe and warm. 

“I’d like to apologize for some of the things I said,” Lotor said softly.

Sendak kissed his cheek. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

“I meant it at the time,” Lotor said, with a soft grin. “After all, this was your fault.”

“I seem to remember that you were there, too.”

“Mm.” 

“We should let your mother know about the twins.”

“Tomorrow,” Lotor said. He yawned. “After I sleep, have a huge meal, and shower, in that order.”

“Yes, you should rest. You worked so hard today, my love.” 

Lotor sighed in contentment and closed his eyes. 

-

Two weeks later, Karzil ran into the room, followed by Honerva, who walked at a more stately pace, as befitted the empress of the Galra and a renowned alchemist. 

Lotor spent most of his time resting. He cracked an eye open at the commotion, but Sendak scooped Karzil up before he got to the bed.

“Papa! I missed you.”

“I missed you, too, but we have to be quiet. The babies are sleeping.”

They were due to wake up soon, but whatever. 

“Can I see?” 

Lotor nodded. “Hello, sweetheart. Did you enjoy visiting your grandmother?”

“Yes, Baba.”

“He’s so well-behaved,” Honerva said. “And such a smart boy, too.”

Sendak set Karzil down on the bed next to Lotor, who was cradling both babies in his arms. They were actually quite small, even if his pelvis begged to differ. 

Karzil peered over Lotor’s arm, in order to gaze down at the babies. “Was I that small?”

“Not quite,” Lotor said. “But you weren’t much bigger.”

“Oh wow,” Karzil breathed.

Honerva sat down on the edge of the bed, next to Lotor. “Are you alright, dear?”

“Yes, Mother. I am. Thank you for watching Karzil. We really appreciate it.”

She leaned up to kiss his forehead. “I’m happy to watch him again anytime. Your father loves having him around, and so do I.” 

“We’ll visit in a few months,” Lotor promised. “When the twins are a little bigger.” 

“Have you named them yet?” 

“The girl is Marra, and the boy is Yorak.” Marra actually had quite thick fur already, and ears reminiscent of Sendak’s, while Yorak’s fur was a bit patchier (Lotor was willing to bet that he’d lose it all in a few months, and end up with just a head  of hair) but his features weren’t as sharp as Marra’s. 

“It’s a family name,” Sendak supplied. 

“They’re beautiful, dear. You must be so proud.”

“I am,” Lotor said, gazing fondly down at the babies in his arms. Marra had woken up and was starting to fuss, and Yorak would be waking soon, at this rate, but they were beautiful and perfect anyway. “I am.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the baby names here come from a very helpful anon on my tumblr. If you’d like to contribute, find me @devilsofficialfanfic


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have literally no excuse for this

Lotor paced restlessly, the rising wind outside the cave only adding to his agitation. 

Had something happened to Sendak? Hadn’t they had more than their fair of bad luck, crash-landing on this uninhabited planet that seemed to be covered entirely in ice and snow, in the middle of a blizzard? 

He rubbed his belly. “Be patient, sweetheart.” As if that would stop the baby from coming whenever he wanted. It was early, but not that early, and… 

Sendak finally returned, shaking snow and ice off himself briskly.

“The ship is definitely not going anywhere,” he said. “I’ve activated the distress beacon, but for now we should stay put. We’d only get lost in the storm.”

They had the bare essentials here: shelter from the blizzard, fire for warmth and to melt snow, rations, salvaged supplies from the wreck. 

But this wasn’t  _ home _ . These weren’t the quarters he shared with his husband (his primal brain insisted that it was their  _ nest _ , the ideal place to bring their child into the universe). There were no doctors here, in case there were complications. 

Sendak had also brought with him some sort of creature that he had evidently hunted and killed and cleaned, so now he moved with practiced efficiency, spitting it and setting it over the fire. 

If Lotor wasn’t so anxious, he would have been more than a little turned on by the proof that his husband ( _ his mate _ ) was such a good provider. 

“Other than the obvious,” Sendak said, “what’s wrong?”

“It’s not safe here,” Lotor said. He wanted to be at home, where it was warm and enclosed and safe, where he could give birth safely, where his child would be safe…

Sendak paused, cocking his head. Then he stood and guided Lotor over to sit near the fire. “How are you feeling?”

“I- I can’t… It’s not safe here, Sendak! We have to- to go, we can’t…”

“We can’t go anywhere right now,” Sendak said calmly. “The storm is only getting worse. Someone will be here in a few days, at most. In the meantime, we’re safe here. I’ll keep you safe, you know that, right?”

Lotor nodded. He did, rationally, but… 

Sendak pulled him close, purring, and that helped, but…

“Did you think the children are alright?”

“They’re with your mother, my love. They are safe and well.”

“I miss them,” Lotor said miserably. 

“I miss them, too.” Sendak nuzzled the top of his head. “My love, I think you’ve gone into labor.”

Lotor protectively put a hand on his belly. “The low pressure system from the storm must have…” His whole body had been achy, especially his back, but he’d dismissed that as trauma from the crash. But maybe... “I don’t want to be here,” he whispered. His baby wouldn’t be safe here; this wasn’t  _ home _ , he couldn’t… 

“It’s going to be alright,” Sendak soothed. “I will keep you safe.”

Lotor nodded. That was Sendak’s job, really, to provide and protect for him right now. At least Sendak had been present for births of their other children, and therefore had some idea of what was going to happen. Of what he might need to do.

“It’s still early on,” Lotor said finally. “We should sleep while we can.”

“Alright,” Sendak agreed. He helped Lotor lay down on his side, facing the fire. “We’ll eat when we wake up.” He curled up around Lotor from behind, placing on hand protectively on Lotor’s belly, keeping them both safe. 

* * *

Lotor woke again later, restlessness and an intense contraction pulling him from sleep.

It was too early for this. He hadn’t even delivered the twins this early. Would the baby be alright? The last scans he’d had before this indicated that the baby had been developing well, but they weren’t always accurate and…

Sendak rubbed his belly. “Shh, it’s going to be alright, my love.” 

Lotor wanted to believe that, but…

Sendak nipped his ear. “I promise. The three of us will get through this.” 

“Has the rescue team arrived yet?” He knew they hadn’t; Sendak would have woken him up. But he felt better for having asked. 

“Not yet. But they will. Now, let’s get you something to eat. You’ll need your strength.” He helped Lotor sit up, and then took the spit down off the fire. 

He gave the choicest portions to Lotor. Lotor ate, although he wasn’t hungry. Sendak was right; giving birth took a lot of energy, and it was best to eat now, before things progressed any further.

He felt better after he ate, too. Maybe this wasn’t their home, but he still had Sendak, and that was surely enough. 

“I’m glad you’re here,” Lotor said finally, leaning against Sendak. “I don’t think I could do this alone.”

Sendak nuzzled the top of his head. “As if I was going to let you trek halfway across the galaxy near the end of your pregnancy by yourself.” 

If Lotor weren’t pregnant, he would have been indignant at the statement; Sendak didn’t  _ let _ him do anything. He didn’t need Sendak’s  _ permission _ . 

As it was, the instinctive, primal part of his brain rejoiced at this proof that he had chosen such a good mate for himself, someone who would cater to his needs, and the needs of their children. 

He started purring, nestling closer to Sendak. The contractions were still far apart, and it would be hours yet before the baby was ready to be delivered; perhaps by then, the rescue team would be here, and he could give birth in the infirmary of whatever ship they sent for them, safe and comfortable. 

If not… If not, then this would have to do. 

* * *

Sendak watched Lotor pace around the perimeter of the cave, one hand on the wall and one on his stomach.

He was agitated, and Sendak completely understood why: this was not an ideal place for him to give birth, far away from medical intervention (if it became necessary) and the safety of their quarters. 

It agitated Sendak, too; he would have given just about anything to have Lotor someplace safe and sound while he was this vulnerable. 

And...the baby was early. Not that early, but early enough, at six-and-a-half months. Karzil had been born after almost eight, and the twins had been born a little after seven. Even fully Galra children weren’t typically born this early, and Altean children were almost never delivered before the eleventh month. So there could be complications from that. And  _ Lotor _ hadn’t been injured in the crash, as far as they could tell, but… 

He wanted to comfort Lotor, but the last time he’d tried, Lotor had snarled at him. Sendak didn’t take it personally, but it was driving his instincts a little crazy.

The time between contractions had shortened drastically already, so it wouldn’t be long now, especially considering that this was Lotor’s third pregnancy and their fourth child. 

Sendak had prepared everything as well as he could; fortunately, the first aid kit had been salvaged from the crash, and they had snow and ice to melt, and a fire to boil water if need be. He’d even managed to make a nest, of sorts, put together mostly with emergency blankets and insulation from the ship. 

Lotor was the one doing all the hard work anyway, and Sendak wished he could do more for him, but there wasn’t really much he could do at this point. 

Lotor stopped suddenly, leaning against the wall, tears tracking down his cheeks.

Sendak couldn’t stop himself from rushing to his side. 

Lotor reached out for him immediately. “I don’t want to do this here,” he sobbed.

“I know,” Sendak said, rubbing Lotor’s back the way he liked. “I know, my love, and if there was anything else I could do, I’d do it right now. But the baby is coming soon, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.”

There were medications, of course, to halt premature labor, but they didn’t have any with them. 

Lotor whined miserably.

“I know, I know. But it’ll be over soon. You’ve done this before, you can do it now.”

“I can’t,” Lotor sobbed. “I can’t, Sendak,  _ please… _ ” His voice trailed off in a strangled gasp, which Sendak attributed to a particularly strong contraction.

“You have to stop fighting it, my love. This is not a fight you can win.” Sendak wondered, briefly, if he should give Lotor something for his nerves; the first aid kit was well stocked. But honestly, he didn’t think that would help matters in the long run. Plus, he had no idea if what, if anything, would be safe to give Lotor right now. “You told me once that you felt this was such an ancient process… This is how our ancestors must have done it, don’t you think? By firelight, in a cave or a den or some other secluded place. So you can do this, my love. And I will be with you the whole time.”

Lotor finally nodded. Sendak had no idea how much of that he’d actually understood -he tended to space out during contractions -but he seemed a little calmer. “Alright. Alright.” He rubbed his cheek against Sendak’s shoulder, purring tiredly. 

* * *

Once Lotor made up his mind to do something, it was as good as done. Giving birth was no different, although it probably did help that this was their fourth child. 

It also definitely helped that Sendak had been present at the births of the other three; he had a pretty good idea of what to expect, and, shockingly, thankfully, everything actually went well. 

He knew, in the back of his mind, that there wouldn’t be much he could do, with the supplies he had at hand and his own skill set, if, say, Lotor began hemorrhaging.

But now, as he guided their child out into the world, he wasn’t dwelling on that.

“It’s a boy,” he told Lotor, who smiled softly, tiredly. 

The baby moved weakly, but he wasn’t breathing, so Sendak wrapped him in a towel and rubbed him down vigorously, until the baby finally let out a wail.

Lotor sighed in relief and relaxed, collapsing back into the nest. 

Sendak had had the foresight to line it with extra emergency blankets, which he would dispose of as soon as he made sure Lotor and their son were alright. 

Lotor seemed content to relax for a moment and catch his breath, so Sendak studied the baby.

(Lotor usually demanded that the doctor hand over the baby almost immediately, and Sendak had to wonder if he just didn’t trust anyone but Sendak to handle their children, or if he really was that tired right now.)

The baby was smaller than even Yorak had been (the smallest of the twins, at the time of their birth, but he was making up for it now), small enough to neatly fit into Sendak’s palm. His eyes weren’t even open yet -he’d been born too early for that -but his ears wiggled, searching for some clue about this new world he’d been born into. 

He didn’t quite have the thick, downy fur most newborns had, so Sendak rubbed him down again, to make sure he was completely dry, then wrapped him up snuggly in a clean blanket. The blizzard still raged on, and it wouldn’t do for the baby to get cold. 

He moved to sit next to Lotor in the nest, arranged so that Lotor could look at the baby without having to move too much. He did look  _ exhausted _ . 

“Impatient,” Lotor murmured. “Couldn’t even wait another week, could you, Little One?” 

The baby’s ears flicked towards Lotor immediately, and he began whimpering, a distress call intended for Lotor. 

Sendak set him on Lotor’s chest, and Lotor pulled him close. “Are you hungry, Little One? Is that why you need me? Being born is such hard work, isn’t it?” He adjusted the baby’s position so he could nurse, and Lotor sighed and laid back. “Ah...you’re a natural at this, aren’t you? Took your sister a week to figure out how to nurse properly. She’s excited to meet you; is that why you came early? Couldn’t wait to meet her, either…”

Lotor believed in talking to the babies, even before they were born, to expose them to language early, and Sendak thought it was really cute, so he didn’t interrupt. 

He brushed Lotor’s hair back, and Lotor started purring. The baby started, too, still nursing, and Lotor smiled tiredly. “He’s healthy, at least,” he said. “Small, but otherwise I think he’ll be just fine.”

Sendak kissed Lotor’s cheek. “Good.”

It was just a matter of waiting, at that point, for the afterbirth to pass, and once it did, Sendak bundled up all the dirty blankets and towels and disposed of them in a ravine nearby, far enough away that it wouldn’t attract anything to the cave. 

The baby was asleep by the time he came back, and Lotor’s eyes were closed.

“You must be exhausted,” Sendak said.

“Couldn’t sleep without you,” Lotor murmured. He nestled close to Sendak as Sendak curled around him and the baby protectively, ready to fight off any threat that had the bad sense to bother them. 

“I’ll keep you both safe,” Sendak said. “Go to sleep. I’ll be right here.” 

-

Rescue came late the next day, and it took no time at all to get Lotor and the baby aboard the ship and checked out by the doctor, where both were given clean bills of health. 

The last of Sendak’s agitation melted away when he finally, finally,  _ finally _ locked the door to their temporary quarters on this ship. It wasn’t quite home, but it also wasn’t a cave in the middle of nowhere, either.

Lotor and the baby were both asleep again, since newborns slept a lot, and Lotor liked to keep the same schedule as the babies for the first few weeks, as he claimed it was the only way to get a decent amount of sleep. 

Probably was, especially considering that the doctor had said that, since their son had been born so small, he’d eat less at one time but nurse more often. 

Lotor hadn’t stop purring since they boarded the ship, even now, in his sleep, partially an attempt for his body to heal faster, but also because he felt happy and safe and content. 

The worry and constant alertness from the past few days was finally catching up to Sendak. He hadn’t given birth, but he was exhausted, too, and now that everything was alright again, he curled up around Lotor and slept deeply.

* * *

Lotor tested the water on his wrist again. The hot water felt divine as it flowed over his body, still sore from the crash and giving birth, but he certainly didn’t want to scald his newborn. He adjusted it a little, tested it again, and held his hands out. “Alright.”

Sendak handed him the baby, then ducked into the shower behind Lotor. 

They had perfected the art of showering together, with a baby, after Karzil was born, and having the twins only made them better at it.

The baby liked the water, squeaking and cooing as only the lightest of sprays washed over him. It was a little unusual; Galra couldn’t swim, their bones being too dense to allow them to float, but perhaps the baby still remembered, in some way, the safety and comfort of the womb. 

“So,” Sendak said finally, watching Lotor wash their son very gently. “What are we going to name him? He’ll be old enough for the formal ceremony by the time we get back home.”

“I...don’t know,” Lotor said. “I hadn’t really gotten around to it yet.” Unlike their other children, Lotor didn’t have to worry about getting soap in the baby’s eyes, since they still weren’t open. It would be a few days yet. “Plus, you know how forgetful I can be when I’m pregnant.” He turned around, rinsing the baby off in the gentle stream of the shower; Sendak began washing his hair, and he started purring. 

“Mm,” Sendak agreed. “That’s why you tell me everything, so I can remind you.” 

“Sometimes, I do like your input, too. You’re not just a glorified planner.” 

Sendak embraced Lotor from behind. “You say the most romantic things.”

Lotor laughed, just a little, and switched places with Sendak, so he could rinse off. “I really do appreciate everything you do for me. Neither of us would be here without you.” 

“I have a duty to do right by you. Both of you,” Sendak said, leaning down to kiss Lotor on the cheek. 

“Would you take him and dry him off? I just… need a few minutes,” Lotor said. 

“Of course.”

“Use the lowest setting on the sonic dryer,” Lotor said. “And cover his ears. It’s probably too loud for him.”

“I know,” Sendak said, taking the baby. “We’ve done this before.”

Lotor nodded. His arms felt empty without the baby, but he really did need a few minutes to himself. 

Sendak left, and he heard the sonic dryer turn on. No crying, so that was a good sign. 

Lotor stepped under the shower again, after turning the temperature back up. 

Four children really was enough. Three sons and a daughter. A good number. More than he thought he’d ever have, during those first few years of his marriage to Sendak. 

And he loved and cherished each one.

He’d enjoyed being pregnant each time, although each pregnancy had come with its own set of challenges. He liked knowing that he was nurturing a new life within him, from his own body, creating a brand new person and carrying them until they were ready to face the world.

And yet. Four children was surely enough. 

He sighed, pressing his hand down against his belly. It would be a year, probably, before he lost all the pregnancy weight, though nursing the baby would help.

He would miss it. He’d miss holding his newborn children, the particular kind of joy that followed delivery, meeting this new life he’d known for months for the first time. There was nothing else like it. 

But...they had decided on four.  _ Lotor _ had decided on four. It was the right decision. The right fit for them. 

It just...made him a little sad to think that this was the last time he’d get to experience it. 

He stepped out of the shower and dried off, before rejoining Sendak in the bedroom. 

Sendak cuddled with the baby, and it made Lotor smile. “The fearsome Commander Sendak, cuddling so affectionately with a baby,” Lotor teased.

Sendak let out a rumbling purr, even as the baby pulled on the fur lining Sendak’s jaw. He couldn’t pull hard, so it certainly wasn’t painful. 

“If I want to cuddle with my newborn son and my husband, then I will,” Sendak huffed. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

Lotor curled up at Sendak’s side, smoothing down the baby’s fur.

The baby’s ears swiveled towards Lotor, and he began fussing. He rarely cried, even when he was upset, but for now, it meant he was hungry. 

Lotor lifted him up out of Sendak’s arms. “Are you hungry again, Little One? You just ate before our shower.”

“He’s growing so quickly,” Sendak said, putting an arm around Lotor.

He was, and that was a good sign. Lotor nuzzled the top of his head, before positioning him so he could nurse. 

“So. Names,” Lotor said, stroking the baby’s back, encouraging him to drink his fill. The baby’s ears wiggled as he fed, listening to the comforting sound of his parents’ voices. 

“What about Farak?” Sendak asked.

It meant, among other things “bold”; perhaps a fitting name for a baby that had been so ready to enter the world that he’d arrived in the middle of a blizzard. 

“I like it,” Lotor said. “Farak, then.” Lotor nuzzled the top of the baby’s head again. “Sendak, I know we’ve discussed it, and now that the baby’s here… It’s probably time to go ahead and schedule my tubal ligation.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve thought about it, and we have discussed it, and… Four is a good fit for us, I think.”

“Alright,” Sendak said, kissing the top of Lotor’s head. “If you’re sure. I will miss you being pregnant, though.”

“So will I,” Lotor said with a soft laugh. “But we’ll have the children and… this way, I’ll still have peaks, and we won’t have to worry about you accidentally getting me pregnant. Again.”

(Farak had been something of a happy accident. Then again, they hadn’t really been actively trying when any of the children were conceived.) 

“And now we have a beautiful son,” Sendak said. He purred softly for a moment. “Are you sure you don’t want to try for a daughter or two, just to even things out a bit?” He teased.

“Things are even now,” Lotor said. “Marra is easily a match for the five of us.” 

“Hm, true. She’s going to be breaking hearts and heads in a few years.”

Lotor laughed. “I don't worry about her. If anyone messes with Yorak, though… only the gods could help them.” 

Marra was the older twin, after all, even if Yorak was now taller. Of course, she was just as protective of Karzil, and would surely watch out for the baby just as fiercely. 

“She gets it from you,” Lotor continued. “Maybe she’ll take over your command when you retire.”

“Well, one of the children had to take after me,” Sendak said amiably. 

“They all take after you, in their own way,” Lotor said, turning so he could kiss Sendak on the cheek. “You’ve never doubted that they were yours.”

“Gods, no. They just have a lot in common with you, is all, and I don’t mind at all. They’ve all made me very proud.”

Lotor smiled fondly. “Mm, good.” The baby finished nursing, yawning hugely, and Lotor laughed. “Tired, Little One? All that growing has to be hard work. Go to sleep, so you can get big and strong.” 

Between his full belly, the comfort of having both his parents nearby, and Lotor’s gentle touches, the baby was asleep in moments. 

* * *

With the exception of the naming ceremony, Lotor stayed cooped up with the baby in their quarters for a few weeks. That was normal, an instinctive measure to protect newborns from disease, predators, and rival Galra. (Infanticide had once, long ago, been quite common, and modern Galra had not evolved out of the fear of it yet.) 

“Your father yelled at me for letting you traipse halfway across the galaxy during the last few months of your pregnancy,” Sendak said, one evening, after returning to their quarters.

“Did you tell him that you don’t  _ let _ me do anything?” Lotor asked, fondly.

It was impossible for him to be angry while the baby was nursing, which was why Sendak had brought it up now. “Of course I did. You are a force of nature, my love.” 

Lotor smiled. “He just worries. My mother elected not to have more children after I was born, so… He worries. He’s not really angry.”

“I know.” Sendak kissed the top of Lotor’s head. “Karzil and the twins are doing well. Though apparently Marra’s been getting into fights.”

“Which she’s been winning, I assume.”

“Of course. But they’re ready to come home.”

“Even Karzil? He’s growing up. He’ll be an adult in a few years.”

“Don’t remind me,” Sendak said, nipping Lotor’s ear. “But he’s not an adult yet, and they miss us.”

“I miss them, too. They’ll be home in a few days, though.” He yawned. “In the meantime, I’m going to get as much sleep as I can. Farak’s been a little fussy.”

“I can take him while you nap,” Sendak said. “It’ll be...what, two or three hours before he’ll be hungry again?”

Lotor nodded. “And he’ll be asleep for most of that.” Lotor kissed the top of Farak’s head, then handed him to Sendak. 

Sendak kissed his cheek. “We’ll be in the nursery.” Farak was already dropping off, and Lotor’s eyes were closed, so Sendak slipped into the nursery as quietly as he could. 

The baby wouldn’t actually sleep in here until he slept through the night; it was more convenient to have the crib set up next to Lotor’s side of the bed. But getting the nursery set up well before the end of his pregnancy made Lotor less anxious, and it was nice to have everything prepared ahead of time. 

For now, though, it was a good place for Sendak to cuddle with the baby while Lotor slept. Newborns were rarely set down; the close contact was good for them. And… Sendak would admit, to himself and Lotor, that he liked this time with his children, especially when they were so young. At this stage, Farak should have been focused solely on nursing and sleeping, but…

He liked Sendak. He purred for him, now, in his sleep, his tiny ears twitching as he dreamed. He was growing steadily, but he was still so small… 

Sendak could spend hours just watching him sleep. He never would have understood that, before Karzil was born, but now it was such a natural thing. 

Somehow, he fell asleep, and woke to Farak whimpering in his arms.

Lotor laughed softly from the doorway, and walked over. He looked less tired now, which was good. “I suppose that’s the only thing you can’t do for him. And he does get so hungry, don’t you, Little One?” He took Farak and sat down in Sendak’s lap to nurse him. 

“I love you,” Sendak said. 

Lotor’s smile grew wider, fonder. “I love you, too.” He kissed Sendak’s cheek. 

“I’ve loved you a little bit more every day since we got married,” Sendak said. “I always think ‘this is it, this is as much as I can love him,’ but you always prove me wrong.” 

Pure love shone in Lotor’s eyes. “I feel the same way. Thank you, for everything. For staying, when it was hard. For giving me four beautiful children. For everything.”

“You did most of the hard work,” Sendak said.

“You helped. And in a few months, when I’m not sore everywhere below my rib cage, I’d like to thank you properly.”

“Don’t tease,” Sendak growled playfully. 

“It’s so fun, though.” Lotor rested his head on Sendak’s shoulder. “But I meant everything I said. I love you. Everything you’ve done for me… It’s meant a lot. I cannot thank you enough.”

“Being here, with you, now, is enough,” Sendak said. 

Lotor purred. 

**Author's Note:**

> In case it wasn’t clear, the average Galra pregnancy lasts about 7 months; the average Altean pregnancy lasts about 11 months.  
> Also, in this AU, Lotor’s parents aren’t evil assholes and he got the love and affection he deserved growing up.


End file.
